A BRITISH traveller onboard the hijacked EgyptAir plane which was diverted after a man threated to blow it up was filmed taking a selfie with the 'hijacker'.

Seif Eddin Mustafa took over the flight from Cairo to Alexandria and saw it diverted to Larnaca in his home country of Cyprus, when he threatened to blow it up with a fake belt which was later found to contain no explosives.

The exchange between the pair was filmed by Dutch passenger Hubb Helthuis and his 20-second clip, broadcast on a Dutch chatshow, appears to show the air steward encouraging Innes, 26, to come forward for a picture.

The cabin crew member can be heard asking Mr Innes, from Leeds: "Come on. You still want to take a photo of him?"

The health and safety auditor replies: "Yeah, yeah. Is that OK?" as he walks towards the bogus hijacker, whose standing near the exit.

Ben Innes smiles for a picture with Seif Eldin Mustafa

Ben Innes can be seen getting up from his seat before posing for the picture (Image: @pauwnl/twitter)

Other passengers can be heard laughing in the background as the steward then asks if Mr Innes, described by pals as "very into his banter", would like another one before giving the phone back.

The photograph is said to have been taken half an hour into the six-and-a-half hour siege, in which Mustafa gave himself up and was arrested.

It comes as it emerged that the air hostess behind the camera also posed for a picture with the alleged hijacker.

The picture was tweeted out by media and communications strategist Dalia Ezzat today alongside the message: "It seems like it wasn't just the Brit who indulged in a photo session with the hijacker."

However, a number of people have commented on the tweet claiming the picture has been photoshopped.

Mr Innes, who arrived back in the UK last night, has been slammed for his 'irresponsible actions'.

When he was reunited with mum Pauline Innes, she said: "I don’t know why you did it. I just want us to go home," the Sun reports.

Mr Innes told the newspaper: "Mum was very upset seeing me, but I made it safe and sound.

"The past two days have been crazy, unbelievable. But I’m here now and things can get back to normal. I’ll be relaxing at home with Mum."

Ben could now face a grilling from his bosses at Aberdeen-based oil and gas drilling firm TWMA.

Ben Innes was on a business trip when the plane was hijacked and he was taken hostage (Image: LinkedIn)

A spokeswoman told the newspaper: “We’re interested in finding out the circumstances.

“We have been in communication with Ben and his family, to support both throughout Tuesday’s events.”

They did not comment on whether or not Mr Innes's job was at risk over the incident.

Mr Innes was among 63 passengers taken hostage on board EgyptAir flight MS181 by 59-year-old Mustafa.

The Egyptian national was wearing what he claimed was a suicide belt and forced the pilot to divert to Larnaca airport in Cyprus.

During the six-hour stand-off with armed police, Mr Innes, who works in Aberdeen, asked to take a picture with Mustafa.

He told The Sun: "I figured if his bomb was real I’d nothing lose anyway, so took a chance to get a closer look at it."

His actions have been slammed by security experts as a "dangerous, selfish act" and "utter madness".

He describes himself as a "driven professional" whose skills included "Hazard Recognition", "Risk Assessment" and "Behaviour Based Safety".

TWMA said in a statement: "Ben Innes was working from our Alexandria office and was travelling home when the hijacking happened.

"We have been in communication with both Ben and his family, to support both throughout Tuesday’s events.

"We are very pleased that all passengers and crew left the plane safely."

Seif Eldin Mustafa arriving at court in Cyprus on Wednesday where he is accused of hijacking a plane (Image: AFP)

Mr Innes, who studied Environmental Sciences at the University of York, told how he asked cabin crew to translate and ask suspected terrorist Mustafa if he would pose for a picture.

He then sent the image to pals back home saying: "You know your boy doesn't f*** about. Turn on the news lad!!!"

Friends of Mr Innes were quick to jump to his defence.

Flatmate Chris Tundogan told MailOnline: "I have no idea why he took the selfie but I imagine he probably volunteered to take it as he's no afraid to shy away from anything.

The foreign hostages, including Ben Innes, can be seen fleeing from the plane after they were released (Image: Getty)

Three men run from the plane after the six hour hostage situation on Tuesday (Image: Getty)

"I find it pretty mental but that's just Ben I guess!"

It was also suggested Mr Innes was trying to calm the suspected terrorist and assess if the suicide belt was real.

He added: “So my day started in panic through whatsapp that my top boy was on a hijacked plane, it’s ending with my top boy all over Twitter and all over Facebook.

"Credit where credits due he dealt with that how most wouldn't and in a way helped emphasise the hijackers message that it wasn’t in bad blood! Now sit back and soak it in Ben cause at least for this week you are No1 LAD and Legend! we salute you!"

Snipers can be seen lying on the ground at Larnaca airport in Cyprus (Image: Getty)

But security experts said Mr Innes actions may have put lives in dangers.

Will Geddes, of ICP Group, said: "I suppose it's a sign of the times, it's the Facebook selfie generation - but this was highly irresponsible.

"A hijacker is in a highly volatile mental state and doing anything erratic can inflame the situation.

"Such a dangerous selfish act is complete and utter madness."

Mr Innes insisted he didn't know the suspect wasn't wearing a real explosive belt as he posed for the grinning snap.

“I got one of the cabin crew to translate for me and asked him if I could do a selfie with him.

“He just shrugged OK so I stood by him and smiled for the camera while a stewardess did the snap. It has to be the best selfie ever.”

The plane was forced to land at Larnaca airport after the 'hijacker' claimed to have explosives (Image: Reuters)

Mum Pauline Innes defended her son and argued that he didn't take the picture himself.

She said: "All we can say is that the picture is clearly not a selfie as everyone has been describing it.

"You can clearly see that it is not Ben who is taking the picture. He’s in it but he’s not taking it."

A motive for the hijacking remains unclear, but Cyprus president Nicos Anastasiades said it was "not something which has to do with terrorism".

Some reports suggested the incident was related to the hijacker's ex-wife, while others reported that he was asking for the release of political prisoners in Egypt.

Eye-witnesses described seeing armed police carrying sniper rifles rushing through the airport terminal before passengers were evacuated by police.